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Calling for the decolonisation of education systems globally, William McEwen-Benatar, a student at the University of Oxford and part of the Akshar Foundation delegation, highlighted India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 at the 63rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Speaking during the session, McEwen-Benatar said education systems must move beyond rigid, Westernised models and place greater emphasis on local languages, indigenous heritage, community knowledge and practical skills to address systemic inequalities. "Decolonising education is not merely a theoretical imperative; it is a human rights necessity," he said, urging member states to ensure that education systems uphold cultural rights and respect indigenous languages and knowledge. He commended the Government of India for NEP 2020, particularly its focus on early education in local and mother tongues, indigenous art and culture, vocational traditions and greater integration of academic and practical learning. "In this regard, we commend the Government of India for its transformative National Education Policy (NEP) 2020," McEwen-Benatar said. He highlighted how the policy provides a framework for "decolonisation and educational equity" by seeking to break down artificial barriers between academic and practical learning. Highlighting Akshar Foundation's work in government schools and marginalised communities, he said the organisation is working to operationalise the vision of NEP 2020 by integrating traditional practical skills, environmental stewardship and local community leadership into school education. "At Akshar, we operationalise this vision in indigenous and marginalised communities," he said, adding that education is most effective when it "honours a community's identity and culture, rather than seeking to replace it." McEwen-Benatar also pointed to the importance of mother-tongue instruction and local knowledge in ensuring that children from vulnerable communities are not alienated by education systems that fail to reflect their cultural identities. "Respecting cultural rights requires centring local knowledge, heritage, and mother-tongue instruction," he said. Calling for wider international action, he urged UN member states to prioritise the decolonisation of national curricula and ensure that education systems become engines of inclusive equality. "We urge member states to prioritise the decolonisation of national curricula, ensuring that education systems globally uphold cultural rights, honour indigenous languages, and serve as true engines of inclusive equality," he said. (ANI)
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